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Jordan and Lebanon

November - December 2021
A 14-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 2

    Bethany beyond Jordan

    November 22, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    This is considered by many to be the traditional site of Jesus' baptism. It doesn't look like much. It isn't even in the Jordan. Actually, it was, 2,000 years ago. The Jordan flooded regularly to the point that many of the earliest churches built here were damaged or destroyed by floods. In this sort of flood plain, it is expected that a river will change it's course over time.
    The 1st picture look down on the actual site. The 2nd picture shows the ruins of some of those flooded out churches.
    The 3rd picture looks over a basin with water from the site, some remains of ancient floor mosaics and the stairs down to the site.
    The 4th picture is at the edge of the Jordan River as it is today. That is the Palestine Territories on the opposite bank. Both sides of the river are set up for people to be baptized in the river.
    The 5th and 6th pictures are in the new Greek Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist at the site. 5th is the the sanctuary with frescos and icons. Last is a floor mosaic.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 2

    As-Salt

    November 22, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    As-Salt is an old and important hillside town not far from Amman. It is located along the historic highway between Amman and Jerusalem.
    It is thought it was founded about the time of Alexander the Great. From that time, As-Salt was an important trading center for the region and was considered the most important town to the east of the Jordan.
    Most of the existing buildings in the old town are late 19th, early 20th century Ottoman.
    The 1st picture is of the hillside town. The 2nd picture looks up a hillside, mostly residential street.
    The city maintains its historical trading environment with a large souk or market. The 3rd picture is a small portion of the souk.
    The 4th picture is in a coffee shop in the souk built in among the structural elements of the building above.
    The 5th picture is of an ottoman era palace where the Hashemite leader stayed until he was proclaimed king after Jordan gained independence.
    The last picture is in the dining room off a guest house where we had a marvelous lunch prepared by Fatima.. if you get to As-Salt, be sure to look her up.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 3

    Mt. Nebo

    November 23, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    This is the place where Scripture tells us that Moses had his look across the Jordan at the Promised Land and where he died. It has been an important site for centuries. I'm told that the 1st church on the mountain dates to the 5th or 6th century, but it was replaced by a Byzantine church. The ruins of that church with it's extensive mosaics is now inside a new building to protect what's left. The new building is a Franciscan Church.
    The 1st picture is looking west into the haze above the Promised Land. This is the direction Moses would have looked, but I expect he could see a lot more. The 2nd picture looks to the northeast into Jordan. The 3rd picture looks a bit more to the east. The green area towards the bottom marks the location of one of the Springs of Moses.
    The 4th picture looks over more ruins. These are of an ancient monastery. The last 2 pictures are inside the Franciscan Church. The 5th picture looks down the nave and shows the columns of the Byzantine church. The bright spaces are lit glass covering mosaics and an abandoned tomb. The last picture is one of the mosaics: the one I find most striking.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 3

    Karak

    November 23, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This is a crusader fort built to protect the eastern borders of the kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century. This is my 1st crusader castle, and it certainly is large and impressive. In fact, it's one of the largest. The crusaders were only here about 50 years before they were ousted by Saladin.
    The 1st picture is the outside walls along one of the more vulnerable sides. The 2nd picture is on the ramp up into the castle proper. It goes between the walls up from the gate. The 3rd picture is a tunnel that has rooms off the sides that look like they might have been quarters. The 4th picture is the long, dark hallway of one of the dungeons.
    The 5th picture is a kitchen, and the last is an addition built by the Ottomans.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 4

    Petra along the Entry Road

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Petra is one of those places that is so large, it takes more than one post to capture just a portion of it. And it is so captivating that it takes more than one post, too. I've allocated 3.
    The entry road is a portion of the caravan route (see the main Petra post). It not only served as an easily secured road, it also was a necropolis, part of the water collection and storage system, an art gallery and more.
    The 1st picture shows carved niches that probably held statues of gods. The 2nd picture shows the deep canyon through which the road runs. The 3rd picture is some of the original paving stones from more the 2,000 years ago, still in situ.
    The 4th picture is more of the canyon. You can make out carving on the right hand wall.
    The 5th picture is a portion of the water channels that were built along both walls to channel water from the springs up above and from collected runoff from the side canyons to direct the water to large cisterns. Selling water to travelers was there 1st big business.
    The last picture is just before the end of the road. The bright wall bid bike through the gap is the Treasury. All in all, a very impressive entry to the city.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 4

    Petra

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    You Indiana Jones fans recognize this building. For those of you who are not fans, this is the so called Treasury at Petra that was featured in the Last Crusade. Most archaeologists these days think this is a tomb, most likely royal. But whatever it was, this building hewn out of the rock face is the only possible picture to headline a post about Petra. And it is another of those places that is far more impressive in person than in a book or on a screen.
    Petra is a significant archaeological site with human habitation evident to at least 7,000 BCE. What we see dates to the Nabataeans who made this place their capital. It is highly defensible; has reliable water and is in a great location astride one of the main caravan routes of antiquity. All making this a good guy profitable place.
    The 2nd picture looks down the main street towards the rest of town from near the Treasury. The 3rd picture is more rock carving of tombs, probably royal or noble.
    Petra was highly cosmopolitan. You can find traces of many ancient cultures here. As an example, the tomb carving in the 4th picture has an Assyrian motif.
    The 5th picture is of the Nabataeans' theater. This was remodeled by the Romans. I bet you thought Sky Boxes were a modern invention.
    The last picture is at the far end of the main street looking towards the sacred quarter where one of the temples of the Nabataeans remains standing and is visible through the gate. There are ruins of a Roman temple to the left.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 4

    Ad-Deir, "the Monastery," Petra

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    This is the 2nd famous location at Petra after the Treasury (see the Petra post). And it is sometimes mistaken for it's more famous neighbor. It is unlikely that this was actually a monastery. It probably was carved as some sort of religious site, and it seems likely that it may have been used as a church in the Byzantine period
    It is located on the ridge high above the valley of Petra. In fact, the climb to reach it involves climbing more than 900 steps.
    The 1st picture is ad-Deir. The 2nd picture is an open flat area nearby that could have been part of the purpose of the ancient site. The 3rd picture is of rock carvings opposite the area in the 2nd picture.
    The 4th picture is a paved walkway leading away from ad-Deir towards the places that overlook the surrounding area
    The 5th and 6th pictures are a couple of the views over the surrounding wadis.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 4

    Desert camp, Wadi Rum

    November 24, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    No, this isn't a rustic camp. Glamping might not even capture it. It is in the desert of Wadi Rum (see another post), and it is very comfortable.
    The 1st picture looks along a small part if the facilities with 2 rows of cabins located each side of a central way. It was taken before dawn as light was just starting to come up.
    The 2nd picture is of the camp chef removing dinner from a fire pit buried in the sand for hours. The lamb and chicken cooked in this traditional Bedouin way was delicious.
    The 3rd picture is in the main hospitality tent building used for meals and after dinner entertainment.
    The last 2 pictures are of sunrise over the desert at the camp.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 5

    Wadi Rum

    November 25, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Wadi Rum is the largest wadi in Jordan. Today it is a protected area. It is an extraordinary example of the desert environment in this part of the world.
    For those who aren't familiar with the word or whose understanding is hazy, wadi is the Arabic word for a valley. It is sometimes, but not always, associated with valleys that have flowing water only during storm runoff events.
    This wadi is sometimes called the Valley of the Moon for it's surprising landscape. It is possible some of these pictures might look familiar as Wadi Rum has been the setting for many movies, among them: Lawrence of Arabia and, more recently, The Martian.
    The 1st 4 pictures are various viewss showing the extraordinary stark beauty of the place.
    The 5th picture is of a natural formation that looks a bit like a sphinx. It is not carved. Natural erosive processes created it.
    The last picture is of a small part of the petroglyphs on a rock wall or cliff in the wadi. These are thousands of years old.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelJordan and Lebanon
    Day 5

    Dead Sea

    November 25, 2021 in Jordan ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    What is a trip to this part of the world without a stop to float in the Dead Sea? You probably know that this is the lowest point on earth at about 480 meters below sea level. The water is about 10 times saltier than the oceans, making it near impossible to swim under water. The salt is considered healthy (for external use only) as are mud baths full of Dead Sea salt.
    Here are 5 pictures at a beach resort in Jordan to look at the Sea and the beach in use by a few people. The temperature was in the 80s farenheit.
    Notice how far down the water is. The Dead Sea is shrinking as evaporation exceeds the rate of inflow.
    As it was pretty hazy, Israel across the way is barely visible.    Read more

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